Photo by Eben Human

IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened

This species is a large coastal shark

The range of the bronze whaler has been challenging to define due to identification confusion with other species, particularly the dusky shark

This species is not naturally abundant anywhere, although it is widespread globally, found in warm-temperate and subtropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand, Mediterranean, northeast Atlantic, southwest Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and the western coast of South Africa

Readily found in shallow water, bays, and surf zones, as well as brackish water (do you know what “brackish” means?)

This species feeds on cephalopods and fishes, and juveniles feed on jellyfishes and benthic crustacean

Maximum sizes may reach ~11.5 ft (350 cm)

Maximum age is still unknown (perhaps one of our Gills will describe it one day!)

Bronze whaler nursery areas are large and poorly described, and overlap with nurseries for dogfish, school shark, and smooth hammerhead

Gestation of young is about 12 months, and pups are born at ~2 ft (60 cm)

Reproduction is by viviparity, with the placenta of the pup attached to a yolk sac

This species sometimes swims in school of hundreds of individuals

Stock structure is not known for any fished population